Iran: Missile strike fraction of response to Daesh

Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan

Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan says the recent missile attack against Daesh in Syria was just a small part of the Islamic Republic’s reaction to the “indiscriminate” attacks by the terror group on the Iranian soil.

“Iran’s defense doctrine is based on the principle of active and effective deterrence and responds to any possible regional and trans-regional threats in the strongest way,” Dehqan said on Tuesday.

The comments came two days after the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) fired six medium-range ground-to-ground ballistic missiles at the Daesh-held Syria town of Dayr al-Zawr in retaliation for the recent terror attacks in the capital Tehran.

On June 7, gunmen mounted assaults on Iran’s Parliament and the Mausoleum of late founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Khomeini, killing 18 people and wounding over 50 others.

Dehqan said Iran has, over the past three years, had serious and extensive programs on the agenda in the field of missile defense, adding that the country is today capable of designing and producing different types of ballistic and cruise missiles featuring high precision and destructive power.

The handout picture provided by IRIB on June 18, 2017 shows Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) launching a missile from an undisclosed location in western Iran, towards Daesh terrorists in Syria. (via AFP)

The Iranian defense minister also stressed that the country is determined to boost its defense might and no world power would be able to adversely affect such resolve.

He further noted that Western sanctions were not only ineffective, but also significantly promoted Iran’s self-reliance in the missile sector.

“The Islamic Republic’s defense might serves regional peace, stability, security and will be used against those elements that contribute to insecurity such as the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group,” Dehqan said.

The enemy thinks the recent Tehran attacks made a contribution to its plot to bring the battle to Iran, but the killing of all the perpetrators of the assaults by Iranian forces, the heavy blows dealt to the masterminds of the terror attack and the missile strike showed that Iran’s response to such attacks “would be prompt and destructive.”

He was referring to remarks by Saudi Defense Minister Mohammed bin Salman, who said last month that Riyadh would work to move “the battle” to Iran.